Apparatus and method for adapting conventional cuvettes for use in a vertical light beam spectrophotometer

Abstract

The invention relates to an apparatus and method for adapting conventional spectrophotometer cuvettes for use in a vertical light beam spectrophotometer.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. An apparatus for use with cuvettes in a vertical light beam spectrophotometer comprising:
 a plate having a top face, a bottom face, and one or more openings for passage of light through the plate; 
 wherein at least a portion of the top face is configured such that an end of at least one cuvette aligned over one or more of the openings in the top face is propped in a vertical direction relative to the opposite end of the cuvette. 
 
     
     
       2. The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the plate is opaque. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein at least a portion of the top face is an inclined surface. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more openings for allowing the passage of light through the plate are disposed in a pattern substantially consistent with any of ANSI SBS 1, 2, 3, 4-2004 standards for vertical light beam spectrophotometers. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the plate further includes a longitudinal edge and a latitudinal edge. 
     
     
       6. The apparatus of  claim 1 , further including a top plate joinable to the top face of the plate or  claim 1 , wherein the top plate has one or more openings alignable with the one or more openings of the plate of  claim 1  for passage of light through the top plate and the plate of  claim 1 , further wherein the top plate has portions configured to align at least one cuvette over the one or more openings of the plate of  claim 1 . 
     
     
       7. The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more aligning walls for aligning one or more surfaces of a cuvette disposed on the top face, such that the aligning walls align at least one cuvette in a position over at least one of the openings for passage of light through the plate. 
     
     
       8. The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the top face includes a raised element for propping an end of at least one cuvette in a vertical direction relative to the opposite end of the cuvette. 
     
     
       9. The apparatus of  claim 7 , further comprising at least two aligning walls, wherein the distance from an outer surface of a first aligning wall to an outer surface of a second aligning wall is approximately equal to or greater than the width of the cuvette. 
     
     
       10. The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the top face, bottom face, a raised element for propping at least one cuvette in a vertical direction relative to the opposite end of the cuvette, and two or more aligning walls are made of a one-piece construction. 
     
     
       11. The apparatus of  claim 8  wherein the raised element is removable. 
     
     
       12. The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein said raised element for propping the end of the cuvette is disposed on the plate in a direction generally parallel to the latitudinal edge of the plate. 
     
     
       13. The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the top face includes two or more raised elements for propping ends of two or more cuvettes. 
     
     
       14. The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the top face has a generally planar surface and the raised element has a height of about 0.5 to 2 mm above the generally planar surface of the top face. 
     
     
       15. A apparatus for use with cuvettes in a vertical light beam spectrophotometer comprising:
 a plate having a top face, a bottom face, and one or more openings for passage of light through the plate; 
 wherein at least a portion of the top face is configured such that a first end of at least one cuvette is alignable over one or more of the openings in the top face by one or more aligning walls and a second end of the at least one cuvette is propped in a vertical direction relative to the first end of the cuvette by a raised element. 
 
     
     
       16. An apparatus for use with cuvettes in a vertical light beam spectrophotometer comprising:
 a generally rectangular plate having one or more openings for passage of light through the plate; 
 a means for propping an end of at least one cuvette in a vertical direction relative to the opposite end of the cuvette; and 
 a means for aligning the cuvette over the one or more openings. 
 
     
     
       17. The apparatus of  claim 16  wherein the generally rectangular plate, the propping means, and the aligning means, are made of a one-piece, unitary construction. 
     
     
       18. The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the propping means props end of the cuvette a vertical distance between 0.5 to 2 mm relative to a generally planar surface of a top face of the generally rectangular plate. 
     
     
       19. The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the propping means is operable to prop the end of the cuvette 1 to 4 degrees relative to the opposite end of the cuvette. 
     
     
       20. The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the propping means is operable to prop the cuvette about 3 degrees. 
     
     
       21. A method for using an adaptor plate in a vertical light beam spectrophotometer, said method comprising the steps of:
 providing at least one cuvette with a first end and a second end opposite the first end; 
 providing an adaptor plate having: (a) a top face, (b) a bottom face, and (c) one or more openings for passage of light through the plate, wherein at least a portion of the top face is configured such that the first end of at least one cuvette is propped in a vertical direction relative to the opposite end of the cuvette; 
 aligning the cuvette over the one or more openings, such that light passes through the cuvette; and 
 using the vertical spectrophotometer to obtain a reading for a sample in the cuvette. 
 
     
     
       22. A method of validating a vertical light beam spectrophotometer, said method comprising the steps of:
 providing at least one cuvette with a first end and a second end opposite the first end and containing a reference sample; 
 providing an adaptor plate having: (a) a top face, (b) a bottom face, and (c) one or more openings for passage of light through the plate, wherein at least a portion of the top face is configured such that the first end of at least one cuvette is propped in a vertical direction relative to the opposite end of the cuvette; 
 aligning the cuvette over the one or more openings, such that light passes through the cuvette; 
 operating the vertical light beam spectrophotometer to obtain a reading for the reference sample; and 
 determining whether the vertical light beam spectrometer is performing within acceptable tolerance limits by comparing the reading with the reference sample's known measurement value. 
 
     
     
       23. The method of  claim 22 , wherein the step of determining whether the vertical light beam spectrometer is performing within acceptable tolerance limits by comparing the reading with the reference sample's known measurement value further comprises the step of determining that the vertical spectrophotometer is not performing within acceptable tolerance limits. 
     
     
       24. The method of  claim 22  wherein the plate is opaque. 
     
     
       25. The method of  claim 22  wherein at least a portion of the top face is an inclined surface. 
     
     
       26. The method of  claim 22  wherein the top face includes a raised element for propping at least one cuvette in a vertical direction relative to the opposite end of the cuvette. 
     
     
       27. The method of  claim 26  wherein the raised element is removable. 
     
     
       28. A vertical light beam spectrophotometer system, comprising:
 a vertical light beam spectrophotometer; and 
 an adaptor plate for use with cuvettes in the vertical light beam spectrophotometer, wherein the adaptor plate has a top face, a bottom face, and one or more openings for passage of light from the vertical light beam spectrometer vertically through the plate; and wherein at least a portion of the top lace is configured such that an end of at least one cuvette aligned over one or more of the openings in the top face is propped in a vertical direction relative to the opposite end of the cuvette.